The NCAA announced today that the Wisconsin Entertainment & Sports Center, Milwaukee’s new state-of-the-art downtown arena slated to open in the fall of 2018, has been tabbed to host NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games in 2022.

“This is fantastic news for the state of Wisconsin and another important milestone in the progress of this world-class arena in Milwaukee,” Bucks President Peter Feigin said. “The BMO Harris Bradley Center was a tremendous host for NCAA basketball for many years and we’re thrilled to continue partnering with Marquette to ensure that tradition continues in the new building. We look forward to many more exciting announcements as we continue to bring a wide range of entertainment options to our community.”

The Wisconsin Entertainment & Sports Center will host First and Second Round action for the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The bid to host these games was a joint effort between the Bucks and the team’s partners at Marquette University.

The Wisconsin Entertainment & Sports Center is the centerpiece of an ambitious development project spearheaded by Bucks ownership to transform 27-acres of mostly vacant property into a vibrant retail and entertainment district in the heart of downtown Milwaukee. Scheduled to open in fall of 2018, the 714,000 square foot arena will be home to Milwaukee Bucks basketball and countless sports and entertainment events. The new arena was designed by Populous, Eppstein Uhen and HNTB, with Mortenson tabbed to lead the construction of the project. For more information, visit www.wisconsinesc.com.